2010 Moran Tour

Congressman Jerry Moran recently completed his tenth "Partners in Conservation Tour" on Monday, September 20. Second District Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White were guests for the event. Eric Banks, NRCS state conservationist, Salina, and several of his staff arranged the stops and provided background on the technical issues of conservation practices employed by several ranchers and farmers.

The first stop featured the Bradley Ranch and the work they have completed under several USDA programs including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Bradley uses a combination of warm-season pastures and cool-season pastures to maintain his cow-calf operation. He showed a frost-proof waterer, a hardened crossing, and other practices he has installed. He explained how he harvests his hay with his cows by using the cool-season grasses in a stockpiling program and rotational winter grazing.

Stops also included the Dan Imthurn Ranch, in Wabaunsee County highlighting an ag waste system for confined feeding; Downey Ranch in Wabaunsee/Pottawatomie Counties where Barb Downey and Joe Carpenter showcased their watering systems and other conservation practices; the Poland Brothers Ranch in Geary County explaining the Grassland Reserve Program contract on their ranch along with Alan Pollom, The Nature Conservancy state director, discussing how partners can work with federal programs to secure conservation easements; the Moyer Ranch, again in Geary County, showcasing the Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program where Rod Moyer and Jason Fizell, Kansas Land Trust director, discussed the features of this easement program; and the Charlie Lee Ranch, Riley County, with Charlie and Farm Service Agency director Adrian Polansky and conservation program specialist Carla Wikoff discussing Continuous Conservation Reserve Program buffers and incidental grazing issues. The Tour concluded at the Konza Prairie Biological Station with talks by KSU Biology staff and Brian Obermeyer, TNC, who discussed patch burning and the proposed Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan.